The Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to improve their team for next season's campaign and one of their latest moves is hiring former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams as a top assistant to new head coach Billy Donovan.
The hiring of Williams is another major coaching staff move by Oklahoma City after replacing Scott Brooks with Donovan, who is a seasoned collegiate coach, on April 30.
Williams started his coaching career after being hired as an assistant by former head coach Nate McMillan with the Portland Trail Blazers before being offered a head coaching stint by New Orleans in 2010.
In his first season as New Orleans head coach in the 2010-11 season, the 43-year-old had 46 wins under his belt with All-Star Chris Paul still in the team but they bowed out in the first round of the playoffs.
The next three seasons were horrible for Williams as New Orleans only won a total of 82 games.
But this season was different as budding star Anthony Davis continued to develop under Williams.
The Pelicans had a 45-win season and made it to the playoffs this year but were swept by the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
Despite reaching the postseason for the first time after three seasons, the Pelicans still fired Williams.
According to Yahoo Sports, Williams was a target for Donovan and Thunder general manager Sam Presti as they offered him a major role in Oklahoma City.
Williams will join Mark Bryant and Darko Rajakovic as assistants with Donovan planning to keep them in the staff according to the report and also looks to hire former Alabama coach Anthony Grant as his third assistant.
The Thunder missed the playoffs this year for the first time in five seasons after being plagued with injuries competing with a depleted lineup almost all season long.
